Physical drivers of pelagic sargassum bloom interannual variability in the Central West Atlantic over 2010–2020

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorSkliris, N.
dc.contributor.authorMarsh, R.
dc.contributor.authorAddo, K.A.
dc.contributor.authorOxenford, H.
dc.date.accessioned2022-06-01T08:52:16Z
dc.date.available2022-06-01T08:52:16Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.descriptionResearch Articleen_US
dc.description.abstractsocioeconomic impacts for coastal populations. To investigate the role of physical drivers in post-2010 sargassum blooms in the Central West Atlantic (CWA), conditions are examined across the wider tropical North Atlantic, using ocean and atmospheric re-analyses and satellite-derived datasets. Of particular consequence for the growth and drift of sargassum are patterns and seasonality of winds and currents. Results suggest that in years of exceptionally large sargassum blooms (2015, 2018), the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), an area of maximum wind convergence where sargassum naturally accumulates, shifted southward, towards nutrient-rich waters of the Amazon River plume and the equatorial upwelling zone further stimulating sargassum growth. These changes are associated with modes of natural variability in the tropical Atlantic, notably a negative phase of the Atlantic Meridional Mode (AMM) in 2015 and 2018, and a positive phase of the Atlantic Niño in 2018. Negative AMM in these 2 years is also associated with stronger trade winds and enhanced northwest Africa upwelling, probably resulting in stronger southwestward nutrient transport into the eastern part of CWA. Moreover, in contrast with most years, important secondary winter blooms took place in both 2015 and 2018 in the northern part of CWA, associated with excessive wind-driven equatorial upwelling and anomalously strong northwestward nutrient transport.en_US
dc.identifier.otherhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-022-01511-1
dc.identifier.urihttp://ugspace.ug.edu.gh/handle/123456789/38100
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherSpringeren_US
dc.subjectSargassumen_US
dc.subjectTrade windsen_US
dc.subjectOcean circulationen_US
dc.subjectClimatic modesen_US
dc.subjectTropical North Atlanticen_US
dc.titlePhysical drivers of pelagic sargassum bloom interannual variability in the Central West Atlantic over 2010–2020en_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Physical-drivers-of-pelagic-sargassum-bloom-interannual-variability-in-the-Central-West-Atlantic-over-20102020Ocean-Dynamics.pdf
Size:
6.66 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.6 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies